Baku: The Ministry of Territorial Administration and Mobility (MATM), in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), launched a regional dialogue framework on state secularism and religious freedoms on Monday in Gaoua. The meeting aims to foster a better understanding of the law on religious freedoms and to strengthen social cohesion.
According to Burkina Information Agency, for two days, participants from public administrations, religious and traditional faiths, civil society organizations, and communities will exchange views on the issues related to the implementation of the new law as well as on the challenges of promoting peace and living together.
The objectives of this dialogue framework are to present the content, issues, and implications of the law on religious freedoms, to promote discussions on the challenges related to its application, to strengthen mutual trust and interreligious dialogue between different communities, to promote the values of tolerance, mutual respect, peace, and social cohesion, and to raise awareness among stakeholders about their roles and responsibilities in conflict prevention.
Presiding over the opening ceremony, the governor of the Dj´r´ region, Siaka Barro, indicated that this regional dialogue aims to present the new law on religious freedoms, adopted on June 20, 2026, while gathering the concerns and suggestions of the various stakeholders in order to facilitate its implementation.
According to him, this law is an important instrument for preserving peace, consolidating social cohesion, and strengthening living together in Burkina Faso.
The governor also praised the climate of dialogue and collaboration that prevails among the various religious denominations in the Dj´r´ region. He encouraged them to continue their efforts towards national unity and the consolidation of peace.
"I invite all actors to place the higher interest of the Nation at the heart of their actions in order to contribute to the harmonious development and stability of Burkina Faso," he said.
The work will focus in particular on three themes: the law on religious freedoms: issues and implications; the role of religious associations in promoting peace and social cohesion in the digital age; and the secularism of the State: principles, issues, and perspectives.